The Clemson Tigers fooled the entire college football world this offseason. The Tigers took all the preseason flowers and hype heading into Week 1. Dabo Swinney talked the talk, claiming they were about to become the first team to go 16-0. The Tigers literally had 5 players projected to go in the first round, from Cade Klubnik to Peter Woods to TJ Parker. The Tigers boasted the nation’s highest percentage of returning starters (81%), and the AP Poll had them ranked No. 4 in the preseason rankings. They even brought in one of the best defensive coordinators in the nation. On paper, based on the roster talent, schedule, and offseason moves, many believed the 2025 Tigers is the closest we get to vintage mid 2010s Dabo Swinney. Fast forward to Week 6, the movie didn’t exactly turn out the way it was supposed to. Swinney now takes full blame and shares it with his coaching staff.

Clemson’s downfall started in Week 1 against Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers. The national media cut Swinney some slack because it was LSU, the team that spent almost $25 million on the roster. In Week 2, the Tigers went toe-to-toe with Troy and barely made it out alive. Then Georgia Tech’s Brent Pry knew exactly where to hit. Boy, did he hit them hard! But it was coach Fran Brown who erased every last benefit of the doubt about the Tigers.

On September 30, Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney stepped to the podium and took all the blame for Clemson’s on-field failures: “From a big picture standpoint, I mean, this has just been a coaching failure, honestly. That’s the best way I can say it. We have just failed as coaches. And I’m not taking accountability away from the players, They’ve got accountability too, some guys need to play better. But it’s just an absolute coaching failure.” Instead of blaming the roster as a whole, Swinney put the responsibility squarely on himself and his coaching staff.

Cade Klubnik went from being seen as a top-5 guaranteed draft pick to now looking more like a third-rounder. The Tigers are downright bad. They rank 112th in rushing yards (116 per game) and can’t score consistently, especially on third downs and in the red zone (36%, 101st nationally). Clemson sits at 116th in points per game, averaging just 19.8. And despite having a stacked defense with T.J. Parker, Peter Woods, and Purdue transfer Will Heldt, the Tigers are only 71st in the nation with nine sacks.

Swinney has failed to do justice to Tigers football and his off-season coaching moves: “That’s just it. I don’t know another way to say it. I’m not pointing fingers, I’m pointing thumbs. It starts with me, because I hire everybody, I empower everybody, I equip everybody. And when players don’t play to their potential, to me, that’s on coaches. Our job as coaches is to get guys to play to their potential, and we’ve failed at that.”

This offseason, Swinney went all-in, hiring what he believed were the best of the best. He replaced Wes Goodwin with national semifinalist Tom Allen from Penn State as defensive coordinator. Those kinds of moves had Joel Klatt put all his chips on Clemson Tigers stock to win a natty. Safe to say, Klatt couldn’t have been more wrong.

Deion Sanders to the Clemson Tigers?

One of the most talked about potential replacements for Dabo is Deion Sanders, currently coaching the Colorado Buffaloes. Brian Schaible of The Sporting News suggested that Sanders could bring a fresh energy to Clemson, citing his national star power, recruiting skills, and ability to generate media attention.

“Sanders would bring unmatched star power, recruiting muscle, and national buzz,” Schaible wrote. “While some might wonder if his bold, media driven approach fits Clemson’s traditions, there is also a natural connection. Both Sanders and Clemson are rooted in faith-based values. That shared foundation could make Prime a stronger cultural fit than many assume, and his presence would put the Tigers squarely back in the national spotlight.”

Bringing in Sanders would represent a huge shift for Clemson, especially in areas like NIL recruiting and the transfer portal, where Swinney has religiously avoided heavy involvement. To turn the program around, major changes might be necessary to reinvigorate recruiting, culture, and national presence. And who better to do it than Deion Sanders?